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the glass ceiling…

If anyone doubts the existence of the “glass ceiling,” they’ve only to follow Hillary Clinton’s quest for the Oval Office. Literally everything, including the kitchen sink, is being thrown at her. How she withstands the constant barrage of trash talk flung her way by men vying for the U.S. presidency, and the media prying open every nook and cranny of her personal life, oft-times with a blunt knife, is beyond comprehension.

How Trump can get by without releasing his tax records because he’s being audited, when the IRS says they have no control over whether or not he does or doesn’t…is imbecilic on his part and idiotic for those who give him a pass. And how Sanders can harp on Clinton’s paid speeches as a private citizen without opening up his life to the same scrutiny is the same old double standard men rely upon…and get away with all the time.

It’s a man’s world, pure and simple. They make the rules by which we all live. They decide who’s in and who’s out. They decide what’s relevant and what’s not.

Most world leaders are men. Most religious leaders are men. Most monarchs are men. Most politicians are men. Most CEOs are men. Most bank presidents are men. Most Wall Street partners are men.

Women are wives and mothers. For the most part, we’re still responsible for raising the children and keeping house. The fact that most hold down jobs outside the home as well, does nothing to help qualify them for leadership roles in the workplace. In fact, juggling motherhood AND a job can often undermine a woman’s chance for advancement. There’s some unwritten rule that raises the bar for women…each and every time they strive to make gains. And who keeps raising that proverbial bar? Why men, of course.

To be fair, women can be their own worst enemies. We usually back down when facing opposition from men. After all, the ultimate authoritarian figure in our lives have been our fathers. And for eons husbands have been crowned “kings of their castles.”

Of course, money plays a big part in women’s subjugation to men. They are still the ones bringing home the slabs of “bacon” we women get to spend. Unless women make more then their spouses, there’ll continue to be a tug-of-war for control of more important debates than what’s for dinner.

Everyone, pundits and presidential opponents alike, agree that Hillary Clinton is the most qualified having been entrenched in politics…as the First Lady when her husband was both governor of Arkansas and President…as U.S. Senator from New York…and as Secretary of State for President Obama. She has worked alongside 2 presidents, even weighing in on Osama Bin Laden’s takedown in the Situation Room…negotiated with fellow members of Congress, practiced diplomacy with world leaders. None of her presidential competitors come close to the political experience that Clinton has, but somehow that’s not enough.

So this is where the “kitchen sink” comes in.

Clinton takes money from Wall Street. What about all the male candidates who did the same thing? Clinton gave speeches and got paid. What about male candidates who did the same thing?

It turns out that former President George W. Bush has been doing much the same thing. Politico reports that since he left office in 2009, “Bush has given at least 200 paid speeches and probably many more, typically pocketing $100,000 to $175,000 per appearance. The part-time work, which rarely requires more than an hour on stage, has earned him tens of millions of dollars.”

Clinton used her private email for work. What about the recent brouhaha when Ashton Carter, Defense Secretary, did the same thing? It disappeared as quickly as it appeared. Meanwhile, Clinton’s emails have taken on a life of its own…long after she’s left office. In fact, a Republican-chaired, special committee continues its witch hunt into her emails, thanks to our taxpayer dollars.

Even women are against Hillary Clinton for president. For many, it might be that they are being largely influenced by all the verbiage men have created as a distraction. Unfortunately, men are still uncomfortable with women who “wear pants” and belly up to the table with the “good ‘ole boys.”

In spite of the prejudicial treatment she continues to face, it’s a credit to Hillary Clinton that she’s been like the “eye of the storm”…

Millennial women have not the history women of our generation have with suppression in the workplace. More and more women have moved into middle management positions, a good thing. What has not come to pass is equality with men when it comes to key positions…company presidents and CEOs…Wall Street partners…world leaders. Millennials are satisfied with what they have achieved so far. Maybe one day their eyes will be opened to the ongoing inequalities…

For me, it goes way beyond what we have accomplished in the workplace. For the most part we are still viewed as sexual objects and are not respected for being powerful, creative beings. The all mighty patriarchal nature is alive and well. Sigh